Three PE women arrested for opening false kidnapping cases

Port Elizabeth - Police in Port Elizabeth police in the Eastern Cape on Monday arrested three women on charges of perjury, this after they sent police on wild goose chase by opening false kidnapping cases.

Police spokesperson Captain Andre Beetge said the three woman alleged that they were kidnapped from Truckers Inn, Wells Estate, on Sunday night.

Beetge said the women elaborated on a story of how they got a lift in a taxi and then were forced by six men into another vehicle close to Corobrick on the M17 and Swartkops Road.

“They were apparently forced to leave a 10-year-old girl behind in a red Toyota Tazz, before being taken to an open field where they were assaulted for no reason, before being dropped off again in Seyisi Street, New Brighton,” said Beetge.

The women later contacted police to say that the child was being held with kidnappers.

A kidnapping case was opened at New Brighton and police searched throughout Sunday night and Monday morning for the kidnapped child.

However, Beetge said police got suspicious about the story, and after careful questioning of the women, it emerged that the story was fabricated.

On Monday afternoon, the three woman, aged 24, 33 and 34, were arrested for perjury at the Swartkops police station.

They are expected to appear in the Motherwell Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.

Motherwell Cluster Commander Major General Dawie Rabie said that opening false cases was a waste of police resources.

"Opening false cases not only wastes valuable police resources, but also causes police to be distracted from real and serious other crimes that needs police assistance. Perpetrators will face the law as criminals, and not as victims."